[Epidemiology of open globe eye injuries: analysis of 1026 cases in 18 years]

Ocular trauma has significant impact on the patient's future quality of life. Progress in the treatment of ocular trauma may ameliorate the outcome, but preventive measures are more effective. However, prevention of ocular trauma can only be effective when the current epidemiology of ocular trauma is known. Therefore, we have now collected data on ocular trauma over nearly 20 years. This paper provides an overview on the development of open globe injuries in the past 20 years.

The records of 1026 patients with open globe injuries who were primarily treated at the Universities of Freiburg and Würzburg between January 1, 1981 and December 31, 1999, were sufficiently analyzed. The following parameters were evaluated: age, extent of injury, sex, cause. and activity at the time of injury.

After correction for demographic distribution, the risk for open globe injury was highest for young adults and lowest for seniors. In recent years, the risk for severe eye injury is more equally distributed and is increasing for old people. We noted decreasing injuries at work and during traffic accidents, especially for young female front-seat passengers. On the other hand, we observed an increasing proportion of domestic eye injuries related to hobby activities. With increasing age we noted more posterior segment injuries. 9 % of all open globe injuries occurred among seniors (> 65 years old), but 41 % of all ruptures occurred in this age group. Preceding cataract surgery was identified as a risk factor. 38 % of injured persons in this age group had already had intraocular surgery. After the introduction of small incision techniques at the beginning of the 1990 s, the frequency of globe ruptures began to decrease again. 3.6 % of the injured eyes developed an endophthalmitis, in agricultural injuries the rate of endophthalmitis was 12 %.

There is a relative constant incidence of 3.0 open globe injuries per 100,000 population. The circumstances of the injuries underwent major changes within the period of these observations.